You Can Help the War Effort

Support servicemembers and their families during this stressful time.

Many of you have asked what you can do to help support our troops and the war effort. Luckily, there are several options available.

First, you can support troops by donating to MOAA's American Patriot Scholarship Program. This program provides scholarships for children of active duty, National Guard, or Reserve military personnel whose military parent lost or loses his or her life while in active service. To donate, call Cindy Amos, (800) 234-MOAA (6622), ext. 169.

You can volunteer your time and services. One way is through the USA Freedom Corps. Find volunteer opportunities at www.usafreedomcorps.gov, call toll-free (877) USA-CORPS (872-2677), or e-mail info@usafreedomcorps.gov.

Keeping the lines of communication open also is helpful. The Stars and Stripes newspaper now is including a daily "Messages of Support" section that gives family and friends a chance to pass along greetings. Messages (limited to 50 words) will be printed on a first-come, first-run basis and can be sent to messages@stripes.com. You also can send messages via the Web sites www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html or www.operationdearabby.net. You can donate a prepaid calling card through the Veterans of Foreign Wars' program, Operation Uplink (www.operationuplink.org), so that deployed members can call home.

Other ways to support the troops include sending a "Gifts from the Homefront" gift certificate to any servicemember or his or her family. These certificates can be used at all post or base exchanges (www.aafes.com/docs/homefront.htm). You also may donate to the "Gift of Groceries" program to help meet the needs of families of deployed servicemembers (www.commissaries.com/certificheck/index.htm).

MOAA encourages chapters and individual members to assess local needs - for their friends, fellow chapter members, and surrounding communities - and provide support where they can. Some ideas are writing letters of support to local military commanders or, particularly in areas where there are National Guard or Reserve units, helping families of those deployed. Family members left at home might appreciate offers to run errands, baby-sit, or take a car to be fixed - to name a few. Even a phone call will mean a lot. As MOAA members, you have experience with deployments, so your support for young family members whose spouse has deployed for the first time would be very helpful.

To keep safe and current, MOAA recommends staying tuned to the latest Department of Defense (DoD) news stories on MOAA's Web Base, www.moaa.org, or on DoD's Web site, www.defenselink.mil.

VA Soon to Cover CLL

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will extend benefits to Vietnam veterans with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), which has been linked to exposure to Agent Orange.

"On the modern battlefield, not all injuries are caused by shrapnel and bullets," says Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi. "This latest iom [Institute of Medicine] study and my decision to act upon it are the latest examples of [the] VA's continuing efforts to care for the needs of our combat veterans."

The ruling means that veterans with CLL who served in Vietnam during the war don't have to prove the illness is related to their military service to qualify for VA disability compensation. The decision was based on a recent report by the iom that found among scientific studies "sufficient evidence of an association" between CLL and exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War.

The VA requested the iom look at CLL because of veterans' concerns that CLL shares some similarities with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which the iom previously had connected to Agent Orange exposure.

The VA will begin paying compensation benefits once a final rule takes effect and regulations are developed. The VA will publish further details on its Web site at www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/benefits/herbicide. Veterans can call toll-free (800) 749-8387 for more information.

Behold the Power of the Pen

Got opinions on the role of land power? Here's your chance to shine. The U.S. Army War College and the U.S. Army War College Foundation are seeking entrants to the annual Strategic Landpower Essay Contest.

Judges for the contest are accepting entries that promote "the advancement of professional knowledge of the strategic role of land power in joint and multinational operations." Essays must be original, must not exceed 5,000 words, and must not have been previously published. Anyone is eligible to enter. All essays must be postmarked on or before June 1, 2003.

For a copy of the rules or to submit an entry, contact Jerome Comello, Ph.D., U.S. Army War College, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, 122 Forbes Ave., Carlisle, PA 17913-5242, (717) 245-3498.

Memorial Concert Honors Heroes

As the nation wages war in Iraq and continues to fight terrorism, ceremonies honoring those at the front lines are more significant. This year, the 2003 National Memorial Day Concert will honor the victims and survivors of Sept. 11, commemorate the 50th anniversary of the armistice agreement in Korea, and pay tribute to those who served in World War II and Vietnam.

"For me, hosting the National Memorial Day Concert is a spiritual exercise," says Ossie Davis, actor and World War II veteran. "The value lies in the reminder of what wars are and what they cost in human terms. We appreciate our heritage a little bit more when we start to consider what it means and what people have paid for it." Davis will be joined by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and color guards from each of the services.

The 90-minute ceremony will include performances from the National Symphony Orchestra and appearances by actor Charles Durning, a decorated World War II veteran; Emmy award-winning actress Ruby Dee; actor Joe Mantegna; and actor and World War II veteran Tony Randall. The concert will be held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol and broadcast live by the Public Broadcasting Service May 25 at 8 p.m. (Eastern time).